Year-on-Year Growth Rates, All Items
August 2012 - August 2013
| Month | Philippines | Luzon | Visayas | Mindanao |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | ||||
| August | 1.4p | 0.6p | 2.0 | 7.5 |
| July | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 8.2 |
| June | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 6.9 |
| May | 0.3 | -0.4 | 0.8 | 6.4 |
| April | -1.3 | -2.1 | -0.8 | 5.7 |
| March | -1.5 | -2.3 | -0.2 | 4.3 |
| February | 0.2 | -0.4 | 2.1 | 4.6 |
| January | -0.4 | -1.1 | 1.7 | 3.9 |
| 2012 | ||||
| December | -0.5 | -0.9 | 0.4 | 2.2 |
| November | -0.6 | -0.9 | 0.5 | 1.1 |
| October | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.2 |
| September | 2.2 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| August | 2.6 | 2.7 | 1.5 | 2.1 |
p - preliminary
Year-on-Year
The year-on-year growth of the General Wholesale Price Index (GWPI) at the national level decelerated to 1.4 percent in August from 3.6 percent in July. This was effected by slower annual rates in the indices of food at 0.1 percent from 3.2 percent and in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials, 0.3 percent from 6.0 percent. Contributing also to the downward trend was an annual decrease still recorded in crude materials, inedible except fuels index at -1.8 percent from -7.0 percent. On the other hand, a higher annual increment was recorded in miscellaneous manufactured articles index at 1.4 percent from 1.1 percent; manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index, 1.3 percent from 1.2 percent; and in the indices of chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats and machinery and transport equipment at 1.0 percent from zero growth and 0.9 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, the index for beverages and tobacco retained its last month’s annual rates of 24.9 percent.
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In Luzon, the annual movement in the GWPI eased to 0.6 percent in August from 3.1 percent in July as negative annual rates were recorded in the heavily-weighted food index at -1.8 percent and crude materials, inedible except fuels index, -0.7 percent from 1.8 percent and -6.4 percent, respectively. The annual change in mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index also went down to 0.2 percent from 6.2 percent. However, the chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index rose 1.0 percent from -0.2 percent; machinery and transport equipment index, 0.8 percent from 0.7 percent; and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.1 percent from 0.9 percent. Movements in the other commodity groups remained at their previous month’s rates.
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The same trend was likewise observed in Visayas as the annual hike in wholesale prices of commodities slowed down to 2.0 percent in August from 3.1 percent in July. The crude materials, inedible except fuels index dropped by 15.5 percent from -17.7 percent last month. In addition, the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index improved to 1.4 percent from 7.7 percent and miscellaneous manufactured articles index, 1.2 percent from 1.3 percent. Meanwhile, a higher annual uptick was recorded in beverages and tobacco index at 27.5 percent from 27.1 percent and chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index, 1.1 percent from 0.8 percent. Annual add-ons in the indices of food, manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials and machinery and transport equipment remained at their corresponding last month’s rates of 2.0 percent, 1.1 percent and 0.4 percent.
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In Mindanao, the GWPI moved up at a slower pace of 7.5 percent in August from 8.2 percent in July. A slowdown was seen in the food index at 12.3 percent from 14.9 percent; beverages and tobacco index, 29.9 percent from 30.0 percent; and mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index, 0.3 percent from 2.1 percent. On the other hand, the year-on-year increments in the following commodity groups advanced during the month: crude materials, inedible except fuels index (14.1% from 10.3%); chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index (0.9% from 0.5%); manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index (3.9% from 3.2%); machinery and transport equipment index (3.5% from 2.3%); and miscellaneous manufactured articles index (4.6% from 3.3%).
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By Commodity Group, Month-on-Month
Compared to last month, wholesale prices of selected commodities in the country decreased by 0.3 percent in August from a growth of 1.2 percent in July. As the food index fell by 1.4 percent in August from a positive growth of 0.8 percent in July, a slowdown was also seen in the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index at 0.1 percent from 3.5 percent. Meanwhile, the month-on-month growth in crude materials, inedible except fuels index climbed to 1.4 percent from -0.2 percent; chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats and miscellaneous manufactured articles indices, 0.3 percent from -0.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively. The other commodity groups moved at their last month’s rates while that for beverages and tobacco remained stable at it registered a zero growth.
The downward trend in the prices of selected food items such as meat, eggs, some fruits and vegetables, fish and calamansi pushed down the food index in Luzon by 1.8 percent and in Mindanao, -0.6 percent. Reduction in the prices of poultry feeds was also noticed in Mindanao. Meanwhile, higher prices of rice, milk, beef, some meat products and selected spices raised the group’s index in Visayas by 0.7 percent, slower than its previous month’s rate of 0.8 percent. At the national level, the group’s index dropped by 1.4 percent.
The decline in the mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials index in Visayas at 0.4 percent was due to lower prices of lubricating oil and gasoline during the period. On the other hand, an upward adjustment in the prices of LPG was registered in Mindanao thus, its group’s index rose 0.2 percent. In Luzon the group’s index inched up by 0.1 percent as price hikes were noted in some petroleum products. This was however slower than their previous month’s rate of 3.5 percent. Movement in the group’s index in the Philippines was at 0.1 percent.
The crude materials, inedible except fuels index in Mindanao advanced by 3.4 percent as prices of bamboo, charcoal and gravel increased during the month. Price mark-ups in copra contributed to the 2.3 percent growth in the group’s index in Visayas and 1.3 percent in Luzon. These factors resulted to a 1.4 percent gain in the group’s index in the Philippines.
A 1.3 percent growth in miscellaneous manufactured articles index in Mindanao was due to increments in the prices of selected clothing, undergarments and some office and school supplies. While higher prices of wristwatches raised its group’s index in Luzon by 0.1 percent, prices of miscellaneous manufactured articles in Visayas generally remained stable during the month. The group’s national index inched up by 0.3 percent.
Selected pharmaceutical products were priced higher in Mindanao during the reference period. Thus, the chemicals including animal and vegetable oils and fats index in the area went up by 0.4 percent. Uptick in the prices of coconut oil, some personal care products, and washing compounds effected a 0.3 percent increment in the group’s index in Luzon and 0.2 percent in Visayas. Price additions in selected paints were also noticed in Luzon. The monthly change in the group’s index in the Philippines was registered at 0.3 percent from -0.2 percent last month.
A 0.6 percent growth was registered in the manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials index in Mindanao as prices of plywood, G.I. sheets, rope abaca and some non-metallic mineral products were higher during the month. While the group’s index in Visayas grew by 0.1 percent as prices of cement and some paper products were on the uptrend, the group’s index in Luzon recorded a zero growth as prices of manufactured goods classified chiefly by materials in the area generally remained stable during the month. Movement in the group’s index at the national level was recorded at 0.1 percent.
Upward adjustments in the prices of selected electrical apparatus and appliances resulted to a 1.2 percent hike in the machinery and transport equipment index in Mindanao. A 0.1 percent change in the group’s index in Luzon was attributed to the increase in prices of some electrical wires in the area during the month. In Visayas, no movement was seen in the prices of machinery and transport equipment while at the national level, the group’s index grew by 0.1 percent.
Prices of selected liquors were up in Visayas, thus, the beverages and tobacco index in the area advanced by 0.3 percent. Meanwhile the group’s index in Luzon, Mindanao and in the Philippines had a zero growth.
Notes:
GWPI by sub-group for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and at the national level are also available upon request at NSO, Industry and Trade Statistics Department, Economic and Indicators Division (Telephone Numbers: 716-39-35 and 715-33-47).
